Today's story actually begins in 1884, when the German American Publishing Company was founded. The company published the New England Rundschau, an independent German-language newspaper. In 1888, the business was renamed The German American Printing Company. The company was located at 460 Main Street at the time. Charles Kraft and Jacques Wisly were its owners.
In 1900, Mr. Wisly became the sole owner, and in 1916, he moved his business to 78 Hitchcock Street. The company added several other newspapers to its publishing inventory.
In 1921, the company was renamed the Wisly Lithograph and Printing Company. In 1934, Mr. Wisly's son, Victor Wisly, and daughter, Regina Brooks, became co-owners. The business was again rebranded as the Wisly-Brooks Company.
Most of the work was done using hand-typed sets, electrotype plates, and photo-engraved plates. Lithographic printing was performed by skilled engravers using heavy litho stones. The engravers' dexterity and talent were necessary to produce the intricate details.
This is some background about the next owner, David Kornetsky.
Born in 1909 and raised and educated in Holyoke, David Kornetsky was a clerk at his father's grocery store at 255 Park (renamed Clemente) Street at age 21. He resided with his parents, Louis and Sarah (Aronson) Kornetsky, at 57 Adams Street at the time.
In 1939, he became a foreman at Charles Belsky and Company at 651 Main Street. He and his spouse, Alice (Merolevitz), resided at 122 Sycamore Street.
In 1941, he established and owned Dave's Furniture Store at 291 Main Street in Holyoke. He continued this business for many years until he purchased the Wisly-Brooks Company in 1957 and renamed it Hitchcock Press. Along with the business, he bought the land and building of the Wisly estate.
He sold off most of the property near the intersection of Lawler and Martin Streets, as well as an adjoining parcel to the plant on Hitchcock Street. He retained the parcel containing the printing factory, which had stood since 1916.
Mr. Kornetsky continued to operate the printing company until his retirement in 1971. The story continues in part 2, with the Hitchcock Press moving forward for an additional 50-plus years under the leadership of J. Guy Gaulin.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
Price & Lee, City of Holyoke (Massachusetts) City Directories
Assessors' Office, City of Holyoke, Massachusetts
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